“Honoring heritage and telling our stories is incredibly vital to reminding us not only what our mission is, but what our mission should be.” — Ashley Boggan, top executive of the United Methodist Commission on Archives and History.
NEWS AND FEATURES
New life for 196-year-old Pickett Chapel
LEBANON, Tenn. (UM News) — Pickett Chapel has been a white church, a Black church and a multiracial one in its long life as a Methodist house of worship. A local Black history group now owns the chapel and it is being restored to be a museum and event venue. A symbolic milestone in the effort was reached Feb. 18, when a group of supporters gathered during Black History Month to witness the unveiling of a new plaque recognizing Pickett Chapel’s status as part of the National Register of Historic Places. Jim Patterson reports.
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Texas Conference
Faithful flock to new church community
BAYTOWN, Texas — The Rev. Luis Ramirez says he feels blessed to lead a new faith community of church members who want to stay United Methodist. After Ramirez’s church voted to disaffiliate in October, he was asked to start the new Houston-area church. “It’s a traditional church, but it’s also a new church. It’s a plant, but it’s also a merger. And there’s something new and refreshing about it, something I’ve never done before,” he said. Lindsay Peyton has the story.
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Central and Southern Europe Conference
Call to prayer marks anniversary of Ukraine invasion
ZURICH — Feb. 24 marks the one-year anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. An international prayer event will be held that day via Zoom at 10 a.m. U.S. Eastern time with the participation of people from Ukraine as well as those from other countries. United Methodist Bishop Christian Alsted, who is responsible for the Nordic and Baltic Area, also will attend the virtual gathering. Urs Schweizer has an update on the status of European United Methodist ministry to Ukrainian refugees and evacuees.
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UM News: United Methodist ministry with Ukraine
Capital B Atlanta
Church’s housing efforts inspire John Legend
ATLANTA — John Legend, the award-winning singer-songwriter, recently visited Atlanta to discuss how to address the city’s affordable housing crisis. One of the people who inspired him was the Rev. Jasmine Smothers, lead pastor of First United Methodist Church. She discussed her church’s plan to build a structure offering 320 apartments. Gavin Godfrey reports.
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PRESS RELEASES
Oklahoma Indian Missionary Conference
Native immersion experience is March 8-12
OKLAHOMA CITY — The 2023 Oklahoma Indian Missionary Conference Immersion event is set for March 8-12. The experience will provide history and context on Native Americans in the OIMC and their involvement with The United Methodist Church. Participants will visit the Washita “massacre” Battlefield site and First American Museum. Cost to attend is $275, in addition to hotel and travel fees.
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Methodist Federation for Social Action
Racial audit results to be discussed
WASHINGTON — The Methodist Federation for Social Action will share the results of a three-year “racial audit” conducted to find where the United Methodist-related organization has been complicit with white supremacy. A webinar is set for 7 p.m. U.S. Eastern time on Feb. 27. MFSA is a social justice nonprofit that mobilizes people to take action on issues of peace, poverty and people’s rights. While the audit is focused on MFSA, other United Methodist entities are invited to participate and possibly use the information as a springboard for evaluating white dominance and historic racism in their own culture.
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Read audit report
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COMMENTARIES
UM News includes in the Daily Digest various commentaries about issues in the denomination. The opinion pieces reflect a variety of viewpoints and are the opinions of the writers, not UM News staff.
Greater Northwest Area
A time for people to raze their Ebenezer
WASILLA, Alaska — In Scripture, the prophet Samuel sets up a stone and names it Ebenezer, saying, “Thus far the Lord has helped us.” But during this time of division and disaffiliation, the Rev. Dan Wilcox reflects on how people are razing — tearing down rather than raising — their Ebenezer.
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RESOURCES
Religion and Race
A vital conversation on race relations
WASHINGTON — The United Methodist Commission on Religion and Race is closing out Black History Month by hosting “Together We Dine,” a vital conversation on race relations. The Project Unity event is designed for community and faith members to engage in courageous and safe conversations about the state of race relations. The conversation will be held via Zoom at 5:30 p.m. U.S. Central time on Feb. 28.
Register for event
RECENT HEADLINES
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EVENTS
Friday, Feb. 24
Facebook Live: Prayer for Ukraine
Monday, Feb. 27-Friday, March 17
Online course: Living Our United Methodist Beliefs
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